The Broken Soldier She Fell For (Book 2 of Something Series)

Chapter 1

I leaned closer to my mount's neck, loving the feeling of the breeze blowing through my blonde hair. My heart thundered in my chest, matching the steady hoofbeats of my mount, with a soft thump, thump, thump. My breathing came in short pants as if I felt the way that the horse was feeling, hot and out of breath but excited to be running and to be free.

I urged her to go faster, fully aware of the sound of hoofbeats behind me while two people tried to catch up to me and my stride. "Come on," I urged softly, giving her more rein. "Let's go faster." My words blew away with the wind, but I could tell that the mare had heard me.

The mare snorted and threw out a small buck before lengthening her stride. Her whole body was relaxed while she listened to my silent signals, fixing her stride when needed. The only sound that came out of her was a few short snorts, and I knew it was because she was getting tired.

"We are almost there," I said, spying the edge where the woods met the start of pasture lands. "We have just a few more feet." I nudged her hard in the ribs, and she snorted and shook her head in protest, but she continued running. "Come on, let's finish strong and then lots of carrots for you."

My mount whickered before pushing herself faster than she had been because she loved carrots more than anything in the world. She leaned her neck out as if she was trying to touch the area with her nose. Her ears flickered towards the gate that divided the pasture from the woods, and whinnied a greeting to someone standing at the gate.

The figure raised their hand in greeting before signaling me to come over, and I did what I was told to do because I had a feeling I knew who it was.

I leaned back in my seat when we were close enough and skidded to a halt in front of the figure, my stepfather. I patted my horse's sweaty neck in praise, keeping my eyes on the tall man in front of me. "Hiya, Dad," I said, smiling. I turned to look behind me to see my best friends skid to a halt on their horses. "We're going to have to work on your quick stop again, Calv," I said, and my friend scowled.

"She's right," my dad said, and I looked at him. He looked him up and down, and the younger male looked away from my father's hard gaze. A frown appeared on his face, and I could see the worry in his eyes because the young male hadn't done what he had told my dad he would do. "I thought you said that you would tell them," he scowled softly. "You know that you are welcomed here."

"I know I just..." Calvin shook his head and fiddled with his lip ring with his tongue. Worry and fear filled his eyes, and I could see that he was starting to panic over the secret that he had kept from his overly religious and homophobic family. "I-I-"

"He's scared that he'll be sent to a different camp," my other best friend, Crystal, said. "Though he is eighteen and can do whatever he wants." She glared at him, and he shrunk back in his seat with the mare he was riding snorting and take a step back. "I mean, I practically live here." She gestured around the area, trying to sweep her hand across the hundred or so acres that my mom owned.

"That's because you work here," I replied, and she shot me a scowl. I smiled innocently before I looked at my dad. "What is it that you need?" I asked, cocking my head. I couldn't help but be curious because I knew it wasn't time for me to babysit my younger sister and brother.

They would have contacted me by phone if they needed me, making sure that I took care of my mount before I came. However, this was different, with my dad standing here and waiting for me.

"Your mother wants you in her office," he said, looking at me. "I can take Belle off your hands if you want to go over there now."

I nodded my head and hopped off of the mare, handing my dad the reins when he opened the gate. "Here, Dad. Thanks."

"For you, anything." He kissed my forehead and shooed me to the office. "I'll be there later. I'll get José to take care of the horse."

I nodded my head again and smiled at my friends. "I'll be back out later. Stick around, why don't you? I think Mom said something about a cookout."

"We're going to play with the new foal," Crystal said, and Calvin nodded his head in agreement. She smiled, and I could see the excitement in her brown eyes because having foals were amazing, especially ones with a sassy attitude like the newest addition to the farm. "That'll be fun."

"After you two take care of your horses," Dad said, and they groaned their dissatisfaction because they wanted to see the foal. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, and they instantly stopped groaning and stared at him with wide eyes. "Do I have to make you run around the whole community again?" He snorted when they shook their heads because they had done it multiple times before, and they did not want to do it.

My dad was a man of respect, and if we didn't do what he said, then we had to run multiple laps around the outskirts of our little "town." "Of course not. Now, all three of you go on your way. I'll meet you at the house, Emmy." He glanced at me when he said the last bit.

I nodded and started to walk in that direction. I couldn't help but be nervous because I didn't know what my mother had wanted. I knew that she didn't know some things that I wasn't proud of, but I could be wrong.

After all, this was a small town, and news did seem to travel fast when in small towns.

I just prayed that she didn't know. I didn't know how I would explain it to her and explain it in a way that didn't piss off my dad...

I knew that it would.